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 Linda Thomas
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Linda is the morning news anchor and features reporter for KIRO Radio. This is her local news blog, with an emphasis on social media, technology, Northwest companies, education, parenting, and anything else that grabs her attention.

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Bellevue Square (don't call it a mall) expands

June 17, 2012 @ 8:05 am (Updated: 8:11 am - 6/17/12 )

BellSquareIt's the mall I used to drive to on a rainy day when my daughter was a toddler. It had an oversized, colorful tugboat for children to play on. Climb to the top, jump off. Do it again.

It's the mall that little girl, who is now a teenager, drove me to yesterday for an afternoon of shopping. Open the wallet, swipe the credit card. Do it again.

The mall, the centerpiece of Eastside shopping, plans to expand. Oh, and don't call it a mall.

Kemper Freeman, Jr. has filed paperwork with Bellevue city planners to add 119,000 square feet of retail space to the shopping area that already has 1.3 million square feet.

The retail space would exist on the top floor of the west garage, according to the city documents. A project vicinity map shows the new structure over both the garage and Bell Square.

There's speculation about the stores that might be added - Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue, maybe a Nordstrom Rack. Perhaps Neiman Marcus would move from its location at the Bravern which opened during the recession and recently sold.

I'd suggest adding a food court, although I realize Kemper would be as appalled by a common eating area as he is when we call his shopping center a mall.

Bell Square was the first mall in the area, opening in 1946 under the name "Bellevue Shopping Square." Northgate mall started in April of 1950. Three of the founders of Northgate then went on to start South Center, opening in 1968. We're supposed to call that mall in Tukwila "Westfield Southcenter, but no one does. The University Village area was first developed in 1956, but didn't become the upscale shopping center it is today until 1993. Alderwood Mall is much more recent starting in 1979, Kitsap Mall in 1985.

By LINDA THOMAS

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